TAMIL NADU, INDIA, August 30, 2022 (The Organiser): The apex court on 29th August issued notice to Tamil Nadu government, refusing to stay the latter’s decision to appoint or dismiss Archakas (priests) in Hindu temples in the state. This came after hearing a petition moved by former Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Subramanian Swamy, seeking to prevent the State government from appointing Archakas in the temples there. He challenged the provisions of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959 to the extent it granted the State absolute control over appointments and dismissal of Archakas in Hindu temples of the State. Swamy said ‘’This is getting to be an epidemic.” A bench headed by Justice Hemant Gupta sought a response from the government and tagged it with a similar petition pending before it.
During the hearing, Swamy sought an interim stay of the appointments order. He argued “Please give an interim stay on the appointment of Archakas by the State government, which is an atheistic government.” The plea also challenged the provisions of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959 granting the State government absolute control over the appointment and dismissal of Archakas in the Hindu temples of Tamil Nadu. It stated that the management and administration of temples, appointments and dismissals of Archakas are a part of the right to practice, profess and propagate religion, protected under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution.
More at source.
https://organiser.org/2022/08/30/92596/bharat/sc-refuses-to-stay-tamil-nadu-governments-decision-to-appoint-of-archakas-in-temples-supports-the-earlier-hc-verdict/